Pilot for locomotives or cars



(No Model.)

A. KOMP. PILOT FOR LOCOMOTIVES OR mas.

No. 428,110. Patented May 2.0, 1890.

. SHAH;

Unmet STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF KOMP, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PILOT FOR LOCOMOTIVES OR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,110, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed October 28, 1889. Serial No. 328,421. (No model.)

1 being to provide a pilot for cable or like power-operated cars, or for locomotives, which shall act to form a pocket or holder for any person or anlmal struck bythe car into which,

persons may fall and be supported in case they are struck by the pilot.

A further object is to provide a pilot which can fit close to the surface of the roadway or space between the tracks, and in case it strikes the surface of the roadway will yield slightly to overcome any such obstruction. It comprises, generally stated, a pilot having a horizontally-hin ged front frame or bar which will yield or rise on striking any slight obstructions on the surface of the road-bed. It also comprises such a pilot having ahorizontally-hinged front frame or bar and a body of canvas or like flexible material extending between the said front frame and the top rail of the pilot, so that in case the front frame should strike any person or animal as he falls over onto the body of canvas it will yield and the front bar will rise, so forming the pocket or depression in the pilot in which such a person may be supported,

To enable others skilled in the art to make andv use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective View of my improved pilot, showing it in its ordinary posit on; and Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections showing the shape of the front bar or frame and the means of supporting it in its raised position and illustrating the two positlons of the pilot.

Li e letters of reference indicate like parts 1]] ea My i1 cntion is illustrated in connection with the forward end of a cable or other erated street-car, as it is specially applicable to this class of cars. It is formed of the body a, having the top rail 1), vertical sid e rails c, and horizontal side rails or plates d, secured to said vertical side rails, andb y means of which the pilot is secured to the car-body. At the forward end of the horizontal side plates dis hinged the front frame or bar e, said front frame being horizontally hinged and preferablyhaviug the form shown-namely, having the curved side portions 9 and the central portion h, extendingacross in apracticallystraight line between said curved portions. By means of the horizontal hinged joints f itis evident that the front frame 6 is enabled to rise, swinging on said joints, as shown in Fig. 3. The under surface of the front bar 0 is made curved or rounding, as shown at 2', so that in case it strikes any stone or other obstruction on the surface of the roadway or space between the rails it can rise slightly and pass over the same, and for this reasonI am enabled to place the front frame much closer to the surface of the ground than it has been practicable to locate the ordinary front rail of a rigid pilot, and I am therefore enabled to prevent the pilot from passing over any person coming in the way of the same.

The forward edge of the bar or frame 6 is provided with a cushion of soft rubber or like material, which will prevent the bar from striking so severe a blow as would occur if the metal body thereof would come in contact with any person, this cushion being shown at 70, and a like cushion 7t" is also formed on the top rail 1) of the pilot, the only parts formed of metal being thus protected by cushioned surfaces, and severe injury from contact therewith being prevented.

Extending between the bar 6 and the top rail 17 is the body of canvas or like flexible material, as at- Z, this canvas body beingsecured to the top rail and front frame in any suitable way, and it generally being carried down and secured to the forward edge of the vertical bars a and the forward upper edges of the horizontal side plates cl, as shown. This canvas therefore forms the body of the pilot, and in case any person shall fall upon the same it is evident that the canvas will yield, as shown in Fig. 3, and at the same time draw up the front frame 6, so forming a pocket or depression in the body of the pilot, into which such person would naturally fall and rest, and preventing them from slipping from the pilot in front of the car.

It is evident from the above description that in order to overcome obstructions the front frame a must be able to rise and fall slightly, while at the same time it is desirable that some means shall be provided for sustaining the front frame in its raised position in case it should rise to any considerable extent when any person falls upon it. To accomplish this 1 form one or more lugs n or ratchet-teeth on the hinges of the front frame, and on the side plates (1, I place the springpawls 'm, which pawls extend out in position to engage the lugs or ratchet-teeth on the hinges of the front frame when said frame is raised to any extent, as shown in Fig. 2. The ratchet-teeth it, however, do not extend down into such position that they will engage with the spring-pawls during the ordinary slight movement of the front frame, and consequently it is only when said frame is raised by the depression of the flexible bodyl of the pilot that the ratchet-teeth will be forced past the spring-pawls and the spring-pawls will sustain the frame in its raised position.

My improved pilot may be secured either to ordinary cable, electric, or other power-operated car, or to a locomotive, and may be secured to the same in any suitable way. \Vhen the car is in use, as the car passes along the track, the forward frame will lie close to the track and so prevent any person from passing under it and under theear, and it will act as the ordinary pilot for throwing any person or large obstruction to one side or the other of the car. At the same time, in case it strikes a slight obstruction-sueh as a stone in the road-bed-it will rise over the same on account of the curved forward end of the front frame and will fallback into its normal position. In case it strikes any person or animal, however, and he falls upon the canvas body the body will yield, so preventing injury from the blow of the pilot, and as the body yields the front frame thereof will be drawn up by the canvas body, so forming a pocket or depression in the pilot into which the person may fall, and the front frame will be held in its raised position by the ratchetand-pawlmechanism,beforedescribed. \Vhen the pilot strikes any such person, severe injury to him will be prevented by the cushion on the surface of the front bar, or, if he should strike the top rail, by the cushion of the surface thereof, and consequently danger of great injury is very materially reduced \Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A pilot for cars or locomotives, having a horizontally-hinged front frame or bar and a body of canvas or like flexible material extending between the front frame and the top rail, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A pilot for cars or locomotives, having a horizontally-hinged front frame or bar and a body of canvas or like flexible material extending between the front frame and top rail, in combination with a spring-catch engaging with the front frame, so as to hold it in its raised position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said ADOLF KOMP, have hereunto set my hand.

ADOLF KOMP.

Witnesses:

Rom. D. Torrnn, ,T. N. Cooke. 

